


This Is Where We Come Alive

by MasterOfMyFateCaptainOfMySoul



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon), Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: BAMF Gren, Crossover Pairings, Fae Gren, Gen, Good Friend Aedion Ashryver, M/M, Multi, Runaan Is A Good Friend, So is Gren bc he is the best boy, i have no idea what this is either
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:00:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28414308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasterOfMyFateCaptainOfMySoul/pseuds/MasterOfMyFateCaptainOfMySoul
Summary: Seven years ago, the King of Adarlan exiled Gren from his home. He fled to Katolis where he had to hide every trace of magic he had in order to survive.Now King Harrow of Katolis is dead and Gren must find his sons and bring them home with the help of an unlikely elven friend. He is done hiding and Gren is ready to change the world
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Gren & Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Gren (TDP)/Kyllian (TOG), Marcos/Soren (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	1. A Fae and an Elf walk into a dungeon

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fic on the Archive so I would love any constructive criticism anyone can offer. Feel free to leave ideas in the comments for the rest of the fic. The title comes from This Is Where We Come Alive by Ruelle.  
> Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is my first fic here so if anyone has any feedback, I'd love to hear it  
> The title comes from This Is Where We Come Alive by Ruelle  
> Hope you enjoy it!

CHAPTER ONE  
Runaan lifted his head as the door outside his cell clanged open, his muscles protesting after the earlier torture. He strained to listen as the sounds of one man dragging another in chains echoed in the damp dungeon. The chains clanked as they were locked to the ring on the wall. ‘I’m sorry Gren. I wish I didn’t have to do this.’ A voice said, presumably whatever guard was chaining Gren. Runaan idly wondered what he had done to be locked in here with him. Locked in here with an elven assassin, a dreaded Moonshadow. ‘It’s alright Soren. I’ll get myself out eventually.’ Gren responded to the now-named Soren. Hmm. The dark mage had sounded like a Del Barian. They followed paternal naming customs. The guards had called him Lord Viren- perhaps this Soren was his son. Soren left; door slamming shut behind him. 

‘Is there anyone else here? Considering its Viren’s dungeon he probably has dozens of people that disagree with him locked in here.’ Runaan smiled. He might be dead already, but he could appreciate any slander of those who practiced dark magic. ’Just me, human. I wonder how much you have offended the mage, to be imprisoned with an elf’ he said, waiting for the human’s reaction. He did not disappoint, the shifting of chains stopping as he stiffened. ’You’re an elf? The only recent incursions on our borders were the assassins that killed King Harrow. Are you one of them?’ Gren asked, suspicion coating his voice. ‘I am. My name is Runaan, I was their leader. I suppose the rest of them are dead by human hands?’ He said, needing to know the status of his people. He hoped against hope that Rayla had managed to escape but he knew that the humans would hunt her down to retrieve their princes. Maybe she had ditched the Katolians to return the Dragon Prince to Xadia. ‘I’m sorry, only one other is alive. The youngest one, the rest died in battle with our guards.’ Gren said, surprising him. If Rayla had escaped, he didn’t think the man would admit to the fact that they had let an elven assassin involved in the death of their king escape their clutches. ‘Thank you.’ He said before falling silent. The human didn’t speak either for a moment.

‘I never answered your question. Viren imprisoned me because I refused to obey his orders over General Amaya’s. He doesn’t like people questioning him.’ He said. Runaan contemplated his answer. ‘I suppose he is used to getting his way. He was your king’s chief mage correct? We did our research before we arrived. ’Yes. Viren and his daughter Claudia are the only Dark Mages in Katolis. Well officially anyways, there are probably more.’ They both fell silent again and this time it lasted. Runaan drifted into an uneasy rest, knowing that the Dark Mage would visit him again in the morning. He wasn’t looking forward to it. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the sound of footsteps on the spiral staircase, Gren jolted awake. Viren hadn’t visited him after he had imprisoned him yesterday and Gren didn’t know what to expect from him now. He steeled himself against the wrongness that rolled off the Dark Mage. His Faeness might be contained for his safety, pointed ears made round by a glamour and shifting power concealed but Gren has natural magic as all Fae did and Viren’s perversion of it makes his head ache and his blunted teeth grind. Gren longs to shift, let claws and fangs take the place of hands and teeth, to tear out Viren’s throat and erase the pervading darkness that follows him. He’d settle for shedding his glamour and using the earth to smother the breath in Viren’s lungs. He shoved the urge deep down, nestling it beside the depths of his magic. He cannot appear as anything other than human. He is twenty-six years old and he has been exiled from his home for seven years- he knows he cannot jeopardize the place he has carved out for himself even if every day that passes without using magic makes his skin itch and the dull human scent he has wrapped himself in feels like a betrayal.

Viren halted in front of him and Gren braced himself for whatever Viren is about to do. But he cannot prepare himself for the words that fall from his captors’ mouth, dripping in satisfaction. ‘I have been waiting for this moment, Commander. For years I have held my tongue while you paraded with the Standing Battalion, concealing your true self. I have watched as you mingled with humans, pretending that you are one of us. But now I have you chained, and I can finally rip away the glamour’s you hide behind. You are not human, and it is time you stop impersonating one’ Grens blood, full of magic, ran cold. Somehow Viren had seen past the glamour’s that had kept him safe for so many years. He was confident in his ability to defeat the mage if it came down to a fight, but while his shackles were mere steel, the chains dangling from them were cold iron. He might be able to manipulate the stone floor beneath him to break the shackles, but it would take time and time was not one of the luxuries afforded to him. Gren knew what Viren did to elves and Fae were similar creatures to the untrained. He refused to become parts for Viren to use to pervert natural magic. His magic belonged to him and him alone and Viren was not owed a single drop of it. 

Viren drew a butterfly from a case and crushed it. Dark power wreathed his fist and he turned to Gren with a savage smirk on his face. ‘You are nothing Commander. Merely a corpse that hasn’t learned it is dead yet. Don’t worry, for I will teach you the true meaning of pain.’ Viren hissed commanding the ruinous magic to swirl around Gren. It felt like spikes of ice were being driven through his flesh but Gren was a child of Terrasen and he was accustomed to the cold. He could feel his glamour melting away and grinned with a mouthful of newly pointed fangs. ‘You have no idea who you have chained Viren. I haven’t caused any harm to humans since I came to Katolis, but you will be the exception. There is a reason that the Adarlanians feared our magic and i am more than capable of showing you why’ he snarled, taking pride in the fear edging Virens scent. He revelled in his sharpened senses and the feeling of hair brushing through the tips of distinctly Fae ears. For seven years he had suppressed every inkling of Fae instinct, desperate to hide his inhumanness from Katolian hatred. He might not be an elf but when messengers from the Northern countries had reached the Pentarchy, no help against Adarlan arrived. He was under no illusions as to Katolian opinions about any magical races. Fae were just as bad as elves to them and he’d had no intentions to reveal himself and become a prisoner. Viren had taken matters into his own hands however, and Gren would not squander this opportunity.

He could feel his magic roiling beneath his skin, and he cautioned it. (Wait, listen, see, plan) he whispered, and his magic answered with (tear him to pieces, choke him with dust and stone, smash his bones and grind them to powder). He grinned again and waited for Virens response to his challenge. 

‘Terrasen? You might have said you were from the North, but elves are Xadian. Your magic will fuel so many spells and will give me the strength I need to find more of your kind until I am powerful enough to crush your country beneath Katolis’s heel.’ Gren interrupted him. ‘I am not Xadian and I am not an elf. I am a Northern Fae, a citizen of Terrasen, and I am your worst nightmare.’ Viren snorted, trying to cover his fear with bravado, but Grens keen nose picked up on the sheer terror in his scent. Clearly Viren had heard of the Fae. ‘That’s impossible Commander. The Adarlanians wiped out all of the Fae in Terrasen.’ Gren smiled, enjoying the conversation. ‘Clearly whoever gave you your information was wrong. Adarlan wiped out the magic in Terrasen, not its wielders. Its true that if I were in Terrasen right now I wouldn’t be able to use it, but we are not in Terrasen, we are in Katolis. You have a fully matured Fae in front of you who is very much capable of magic and I am not afraid of yours.’ Viren swallowed and Gren smirked. ‘Perhaps you have magic but that doesn’t change the fact that you are still chained. I will return for you tomorrow and you will not be so brave when you are screaming’ Viren turned sharply and stalked back up the steps. Gren relaxed his muscles and laughed quietly. It felt good to be recognised as the predator he was. 

One cell over, Runaan listened in shock. The elves knew of the Fae and if Runaan had ever captured one unknowingly he would have released them and begged for mercy. The deadly predator outside was laughing softly and Runaan hoped that his sharp senses could not smell the fear no doubt rolling off the assassin. ‘You seem scared Runaan, I can smell it in your scent. Not all the rumours about us Fae are true you know. I’m going to break into your cell and drink your blood’ The beast he was trapped with said. Runaan had been amused when Gren had been chained in the dungeon- he had thought that the ‘human’ would be terrified of being locked in with an elf but now he was the uneasy one. He swallowed thickly and responded to the wild force of nature next door. ‘Had I been the one to chain a Fae, I would not waste my remaining hours taunting them- I would make my peace with the Sources and hope my death was quick. Viren is a fool and I have no doubt that when you escape, he will suffer greatly for his arrogance.’ The Fae laughed again, a chilling sound that sent shivers through Runaan’s cold, dead heart. The Moonshadow philosophy preached that he was already dead but Runaan had never been more aware of his mortality. ‘Okay, maybe that one is true. Fae hate being chained. Anyways once Viren comes to ‘interrogate’ me again, I will escape. You have any requests pertaining to Viren? I’m actually considering leaving him alive for now, as he’s currently in charge of Katolis and I don’t want to leave us leaderless even if the leader is a terrible person.’ Runaan relaxed slightly. The Fae -Gren- had seemed terrifying when he was conversing with Viren. Now he was joking with Runaan and he didn’t seem as deadly. Maybe he had been telling the truth and he wasn’t going to attempt harm. It was a comforting thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter done! Hope you liked it   
> The next chapter will be up soon


	2. Bonding Vibes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heres the second chapter of This Is Where We Come Alive! Runaan and Gren get to know each other and Viren is his usual problematic self
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter

‘So Runaan, tell me about yourself’ said Gren, wanting to know more about his cell mate. ‘Why?’ Runaan asked warily. ‘Because I’m bored, and I’ll be here with you until I find out what Viren is going to do with the Princes. It’s an opportunity to make a friend!’ He could smell the confusion in Runaans scent, and it made him snicker. 

‘I suppose so. But even though you are from Terrasen originally do you not hate me for killing King Harrow?’

Gren fell silent. ‘I don’t actually. I feel sorrow for the princes because they have lost their father, but I don’t feel sorrow because the king is dead. We killed your king first. Besides I was never completely loyal to Harrow. He was a good king to Katolis but not always a good man.’ He said, ruminating on the late king. Harrow hadn’t been a good ally either.

‘When Terrasen fell ten years ago, we sent messengers to every kingdom we had ever had contact with. Some replied and some didn’t. Either way Katolis did nothing for us simply because our current royals were Fae and we had a large Fae population. We didn’t ask for an army, all we wanted was help. But Katolis didn’t condemn Adarlan. They didn’t put any trade restrictions on them even though the Pentarchy says they’re against wars and slavery. Terrasen was decimated and the only reason we weren’t wiped out completely was because the Adarlanians wanted slaves and they couldn’t work in Terrasenian winters the way we could.’ He added. 

‘Surely the Pentarchy wouldn’t have condoned slavery?’ Runaan asked, sounding surprised. ‘You have no idea,’ Gren laughed bitterly.’ Katolis still trades with Adarlan to this day even though the only thing they import is salt which can be produced here, and they don’t have any major exports. I know exactly where that salt comes from and it is the slave mines of Endovier. That’s not something I can forgive but I can forgive you for doing your job. If I had the chance to drive an arrow through the Adarlanian Kings eye, I wouldn’t hesitate.’

‘Katolis actually buys the products of slavery? I thought that your king was better than that.’ Runaan sounded horrified at the idea. ‘Not my king. My king is dead, Mala bless him. Our entire royal family was killed by the Adarlanians. They didn’t even spare little Princess Aelin. Gods, she was only nine. Lord Darrow and Prince Aedion Ashryver were the only ones to survive the slaughter. Lord Darrow was the Kings Consort but Adarlan didn’t consider him a royal because they were both men. Aedion survived because he was away at the time. He’s part of Adarlans army now. He commands the Bane, one of their elite forces.’ said Gren.

‘Why would he join Adarlan after they killed his family?’ Runaan said, furious at the unknown prince. 

‘Aedion never does anything without a reason. I was part of the Bane until my banishment. Aedion was captured during the Battle of Theralis and he pretended to submit to Adarlan. The Bane is supposed to hunt down rebels and eradicate them but instead Aedion aids them and stages his battles while feeding rebels information from Rifthold.’ Gren replied, smiling at the thought of his friend. 

‘That is actually a good plan. Do the Adarlanians trust him?’ Runaan said, wanting to know more about the general. ‘They do, mostly. Some of them hate him because they couldn’t fathom betraying Adarlan so they think he’s a terrible person. Aedion doesn’t care though. His only goal is to see Terrasen set free in Aelins name. They were close as children. Anyways, I was supposed to be getting to know you!’ Gren said, bringing the conversation back to its original point.

‘Oh yes you were. Well I’m a Moonshadow elf, though you already know that.’ Runaan said sheepishly. ‘What are your family like? If you have any.’ Gren questioned. ‘I have a husband, Ethari. He’s a blacksmith and jeweller, a tinkerer. We’ve been together for years and I love him more than life itself. Two of our friends were in the Dragon Guard and after…after we took in their daughter Rayla. She was the youngest assassin, the one who escaped. I said some horrible things to her that night, and I regret every word of it. I always knew that she was more of a guard like her parents rather than an assassin like me, but she was so eager to train with us and I couldn’t deny her. What about you Gren? Do you have a family?’ Runaan said, love obvious in his voice as he spoke of his husband and adopted daughter.

‘I have a mate, Kyllian. He is human but with my mating mark he will live just as long as I will. He’s still with Aedion and I haven’t seen him in seven years. My parents fled to Doranelle after I was exiled. My mother is a full Fae from Doranelle, and my father is a demi-Fae from Terrasen. I had one brother, Arctan. He was a student at Devellin and died in the attack there. I visit my parents every year on the anniversary. As for family in Katolis, I’m part of the Standing Battalion. I interpret for General Amaya and we’ve become good friends. I spend holidays with her and the princes.’ Gren said. The two men sat in silence for a while before Runaan spoke again.

‘Why do you not escape now? You have your magic now; you could do it. It’s not exactly pleasant down here.’ It was a valid point. Gren did have the power to do it and he would’ve been able to escape regardless. Ultimately it came down to the sort of man Viren was and his promise to General Amaya. ‘Viren is one of the most dangerous kinds of men. The kind who think that they are good and right when they are the exact opposite. He was the one who suggested that King Harrow kill your King and Prince. Harrow was grieving and he must have thought about getting revenge, but he would have eventually decided that Queen Sarai wouldn’t have wanted Avizandam dead. Viren pushed him over that edge. There’s no telling what damage he could do if he stays on the throne’ Gren said. 

He thought about it for a minute and then added on to his answer. ‘Besides he has some sort of plan for the Princes. He has sent his children to find the Princes, but I would have been capable of doing it. It actually would have been better. Soren is a fantastic warrior and he is Captain of the Guard for a reason, but Claudia isn’t. She is a scholar. I don’t know what Viren is planning to do to the Princes but if he wants to kill me then he will brag. He is arrogant enough to think I won’t be able to escape, and he’ll want to gloat to someone about his amazing plans.’ 

As if his words had summoned the dark mage, the iron door at the top of the stairwell clanged upon. Viren descended down the steps like a god come to pass judgements on his subjects. He spared Gren a glance. ‘I’ll be back for you later, Fae. In the meantime, listen closely to your Elven companion. Your screams will mirror his soon enough.’   
With that chilling sentence, Viren stepped into Runaans cell and shut the door behind him. Gren swallowed at the implication of Runaan screaming loud enough to be heard through solid stone, even if his Fae hearing gave him an advantage. Viren did not disappoint and soon enough, pain-filled screams echoed throughout the dungeon.

Eventually Viren left Runaan and stood before Gren. ‘I am interested to see the differences between Fae and Elves. You’re both savage creatures but you do have a few obvious differences. You have no horns for one, and you have all ten fingers.’ Gren bared his teeth at the mage and allowed their deadly tips to speak for themselves. Viren wouldn’t be getting any information from him. 

‘Ah yes, the fangs. That’s another difference I suppose. Simply another sign of your animalistic intelligence, I suppose. You must use them to hunt, rather than weapons like a civilised person.’ Viren said coldly, peering at his mouth. 

‘Humans can make all the weapons they want but if a Fae hunts them, they’re dead. What would you do if you didn’t have a weapon, hm? A Fae is never without one.’ Gren fired back. Viren slapped him and his head snapped back. ‘Animals do not speak. Now I have heard rumours that Fae are capable of shedding the humanoid disguise they take and revealing the animals they truly are. What form do you take?’ Gren stayed stubbornly silent. ‘Oh well, I did say you couldn’t speak. I shall have to do my own tests.’ Gren scoffed and Virens eyes narrowed. ‘Do not test me, animal. You are alive by my grace alone. Now let us see what lies beneath your disguise.’

He drew another butterfly from a jar in his pocket, the little insect struggling furiously in his grip. Viren crushed it and spoke words that meant nothing to Gren. A true magic user such as a Fae had no need for spells. A glowing cage surrounded Gren and the chains binding him turned to dust. Purple cracks spread across Virens face but after a moment his visage returned to normal. ‘This is strong enough to hold a dragon, little Fae, so regardless of what form you take you cannot escape. Now shall we? I’m eager to see if the rumours are true.’

A second and third butterfly were mangled, and dark magic soon surrounded Gren, but even Virens considerable power wasn’t enough to force his shift. ‘I got rid of your first glamour easily enough! Why will your second not yield as easily?’ Viren snarled furiously. ‘Maybe its because there is no glamour? You cannot force a Fae to shift unless you have a blood oath, and that too must be willing. You will get nothing from me.’ Gren replied, smirking at the mages frustration. 

‘Willing? I am sure that I can win your co-operation. My children are closing in on the princes and the elven savage that accompanies them. Soon the princes will be dead, and I will be king. But I might leave one alive temporarily, to force your acquiescence. And once you are completely obedient to me, I will bring you along as I finally conquer Xadia, so that you may see the destruction of ’natural’ magic once more.’ Gren glared at him and refused to give Viren the satisfaction of his answer. The mage scowled and turned to leave. With a careless wave of Virens hand, the glowing cage dissolved and Gren was once more in chains. 

The noise of the door slamming shut reverberated around their cells, but silence descended once more.  
‘When Viren returns in the morning, I will be gone. As soon as the guards bring us food and leave, I will be making my escape. Its up to you whether or not you want to join me but if you stay here, Viren will eventually end up using you for something, whether it be spells or for his invasion. I’m going after the princes and your daughter, Rayla, is with them. You want to apologise to her, don’t you?’ Gren said, inspecting his chains for the join where steel met iron. He wouldn’t be able to touch the iron, but he could break the steel.

‘I’ll go with you. I promised Ethari that I would bring his heart back to him and I will not fail.’ Runaan answered, hoping that he could trust the Fae. During his time in the dungeons so far, he hadn’t entertained any ideas of escape. With his arm so weak from the binding and his head unbalanced from his missing horn, he hadn’t been able to slip free from his chains. But he had a chance now, to return to Ethari and to make up for the awful things he had said to Rayla. He would escape with Gren, find his daughter and reunite with his husband.

If Rayla hadn’t already made it to Queen Zubeia, hopefully she would accept his aid, even if she didn’t entirely need it. With the Dragon Prince returned to Xadia, hopefully they could begin an era of peace. Runaan didn’t particularly like humans but he also didn’t want any more elves to die in battle with them. 

Perhaps Viren was the exception to the rule, and all humans weren’t as bad as he was. Rayla had said that the human Princes wanted peace- clearly, they would be better rulers than Viren. 

He settled in to wait until the guards brought them rations. After, they would escape this dank dungeon and Runaan could be free again. He recognised the emotion stirring in his chest. For the first time since King Avizandum’s death, Runaan felt hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done! Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)   
> Lmk what you think in the comments - constructive critiscm is welcomed, and hate is not  
> Next chapter, our boys will be escaping and we'll get new POVs in the form of General Amaya and Prince Callum  
> Thanks for reading


	3. Secret Tunnel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Callum and Amaya make an appearance!  
> The chapter title is an AtLa reference :) I plan on starting an AtLA story when I'm done with TIWWCA  
> Enjoy!

Gren waited for the guards to leave after they had brought food to him and Runaan. One of them paused before leaving the dungeon. ‘Sir, do you have a plan? To escape I mean. I know that Lord Viren used that awful dark magic of his on you, to change you into an elf of sorts, but will you be able to escape? Viren is a traitor to Katolis, if he’s locking up innocent soldiers, and if you need help to escape, you still have allies in the castle.’ She said earnestly. 

‘I’ll be alright, I have a plan. I’ll be gone by the morning and once the Princes and General Amaya return, Viren will be charged with treason. As for the dark magic, Viren won’t have access to it once he’s in a dungeon of his own. Thank you for your loyalty.’ Gren replied, smiling at her. She nodded and left, closing the door behind her. However, Gren didn’t hear the click that signified the bolt sliding completely home, which would make it easier to leave if they went that way. He smiled again at the small act of rebellion against Viren. ‘Did she really think that your Fae features were as a result of Viren? He is hardly powerful enough to change someone’s species. I don’t think it’s even possible!’ Runaan said incredulously from the next cell. ‘To be fair, I had that glamour for seven years. No one in Katolis knew that I wasn’t human. Even now, its only Viren that knows.’ Gren said, defending the young soldier. ‘Will that be a problem? Your missing glamour I mean. The princes will know you as a human as will your general. Plus we might have to interact with humans while we’re travelling within Katolis.’ Runaan said. ‘Viren might think he is powerful enough to undo the glamour, but a single butterfly doesn’t hold enough magic for that. He just cracked the anchor stone that holds the glamour together. Someone else performed it for me but they left me the option of choosing when to keep it up, hence the stone. I have earth magic, so I’m able to break the stone, which ends the glamour until I repair it again. Its embedded in my wrist. I usually break it when I visit my parents and then repair it when I return to Katolis.’ Gren answered. Runaan was right to worry though. They would need a way to conceal him while they were still in Katolis. Gren knew that bringing Runaan complicated his escape but he refused to leave him with Viren. Now was the perfect time to leave though. The moon was still high, which would strengthen Runaan and everyone in the castle would be asleep, save the guards. Gren knew their usual schedule though and he wasn’t planning on going through the castle for the most part. He could sense the earth and stone around him, and at the end of the corridor of cells there was a hole in the stone leading to the surface. It had been filled in with earth and there was a thin covering of shale that let the hole blend in with the surrounding rock, but Gren could sense the difference between the rock and the dirt and he knew he could easily clear it away. ‘Are you ready Runaan? As soon as I have my own chains undone, I’ll come unchain you.’ Gren said, bracing himself against the wall and wedging his fingers into the shackle on his left wrist. He pulled with all his considerable strength and cracks began to appear in the steel. After a few minutes it became cracked enough that one solid blow would shatter it. Grens magic manipulated a chunk of stone from the wall into a suitable shape and he moved the stone into place before commanding it to slam into the cracked metal. It broke as predicted and Grens wrist was free. From there it was easy to break the other shackle and with nothing holding them up, the cold iron chains hit the ground without touching Gren. He broke the lock on Runaans cell and saw his cellmate for the first time. ‘Oddly enough, you look almost exactly like I thought you would.’ Gren said, surveying the elf. Runaan just shook his chains pointedly and Gren quickly broke the shackles. ‘Would you mind bringing those with you actually? With my glamour back, I’ll look like any other Katolian soldier. If we run into any humans, we can wrap the chains around your wrists and it’ll seem like I’m simply escorting a prisoner. I’d take them to spare your arm, but they’re cold iron and I can’t touch them.’ Gren said. Runaan picked up the chains and Gren led him down the corridor to the spot where the tunnel was. ‘You might want to stand back. I don’t want to cover you in dirt.’ He said, readying his magic to pull the earth from the blocked off tunnel. Runaan dutifully stepped back and Gren cleared the tunnel in a shower of earth. They crawled through it quickly and popped up just outside the stables. ‘I’m going to get us some provisions but I’ll be back soon. Wait inside the trees, I’ll find you.’ Gren said, turning back to the castle. The stores where army rations were kept and the armoury with spare weapons, were separate from the castle so he didn’t alert anyone. Gren took about a weeks worth of rations for the both of them, a sword for himself and a bow and quiver for Runaan. He returned to the stables and saddled two horses. He technically didn’t need a horse since he could shift but it would be less suspicious and Runaan would need one. He led them to the woods and quickly found Runaan. They set off for the Banther Lodge where Gren would be able to find Callum, Ezran and Raylas scents. Soon they would be able to find the trio and accompany them to Xadia, where they could finally make peace with the help of the dragon egg that Katolis had stolen all those years ago. Callum stared warily at the mountain in front of him. ‘Its for the egg, Callum, its for the egg, Ellis and Ava managed to climb it, you can too.’ He whispered to himself. He glanced over to his brother and their friend, who were saying goodbye to Ellis. The dragon egg in Raylas arms reminded him that the mysterious healer at the top of the Cursed Caldera was their only hope. They were planning to return the Dragon Prince to Xadia and make peace, but the egg had to survive first. The monsters in the mountain didn’t matter, only the egg did. They had to do this. He had no doubt that there were probably soldiers looking for them. The last time they had seen Aunt Amaya, she had believed that Rayla had kidnapped them. Aunt Amaya would never leave them with anyone that meant them harm and there was no way she’d let them traverse the continent with an elf, even if Rayla was good and kind, unlike the elf they’d ran into before they left the castle. He was scared of what the Caldera held but the egg was their only chance for peace. They had to do this. General Amaya scowled out the window at the flowing river of lava in front of her. As soon as she had returned to the Breach, her soldiers had told her that the Sunfire Elves were more active then usual. Three different scouts had spotted elves creeping closer to the rockslide that marked the halfway point of the Breach, and thus the border line. The elves hadn’t crossed it yet but it was only a matter of time. She turned and strode out of the room, quickly finding her temporary interpreter. He was good but Gren conveyed her words perfectly. He always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. Amaya was worried about him though. He hadn’t sent any letters detailing his mission to find her nephews and she hadn’t received word from Corvus either. It wasn’t unusual for them to be unable to contact her while they were travelling but she didn’t trust Viren and she was worried that he had done something to her favorite interpreter. She trusted Gren though and he would not fail her as she had failed Callum and Ezran. Every second they stayed with the elf was a second more they spent in danger and she had promised Sarai years ago that she would take care of her sons if anything happened to her. Now her brave sister was dead, and it was Amayas responsibility to keep the boys safe and she hadn’t fulfilled it. Callums signs had been shaky at the Lodge and it was clear that the elf was a good warrior. Callum tried so hard but he was never as good at fighting as Sarai had been. He took after his father, who had been a craftsman from Amaya and Sarai’s village and Amaya had liked him immensely. While the other children refused to play with her because she couldn’t hear them, Adiv hadn’t. He always played with Amaya and Sarai and had painstakingly learned sign language so he could communicate with her even if Sarai wasn’t there. His easy acceptance of Amaya and his kind nature had been what made Sarai fall in love with him and their son together was as loving as he was and as protective as Sarai had been. When Adiv had died of the plague that swept through their village, Sarai had been devastated and it took months before she allowed herself to open up to Harrow. But she had eventually and Amayas second nephew joined their family. Amaya hadn’t been able to rescue her nephews from the elf at the Banther Lodge but two of her most trusted soldiers were looking for them. She would put her faith in Corvus and Gren and soon the family she had left would be together again. For now, she would guard the Breach from the Sunfire Elves and when her nephew became king, far too early but king all the same, she would be by his side as she had been beside Sarai. She owed it to her sister and the two brothers-in-law she had lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our intrepid magicals have escaped! Lmk what you think down below  
> Kudos are always welcome


	4. Everyone Has A Bad Day Except For The Dungeon Buddies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four! Its actually the longest chapter so far but took me the least amount of time strangely enough. As said in the title, Runaan and Gren are the only ones having a good day. There are several new POVs so if anyone seems OOC please lmk. Hope you guys enjoy it :)

Viren contemplated recent events as he strode back to his study after a busy day in court. It seemed that life was on the up for him. Harrow had been increasingly distrusting of his plans since Sarai had been killed by the Dragon King and he had taken the egg. Harrow hadn’t understood the necessity of keeping the egg under their control. They couldn’t allow it to hatch and create a monster that could destroy them all.

Now though, Harrow was dead and Viren was Regent. He had loved the king as one of his greatest friends but Viren couldn’t deny that he had been outliving his usefulness. Soon his children would find the wayward Princes along with that pesky elf and the egg. He had instructed Soren to manufacture an accident for the boys,which would secure the throne for him, and Claudia had been told to prioritise the egg above all else.

He frowned slightly as he thought of his children. He did love them but when Lissa had left him, he had secretly hoped that she would take Soren. Claudia was like him, an incredible Dark Mage with a thirst for knowledge. He was proud of her prowess and she was completely loyal to him. 

Soren, however. The boy had no interest in dark magic and knowledge of anything other than battles bored him. He was good at fighting, but his family was meant for more than protecting markets and swinging swords. He also knew of the boy’s infatuation with one of the other Crown Guards, a man no less. Soren could not be allowed to hold loyalty to anyone other than his father and king. There had been doubt in his eyes, when Viren had ordered him to dispose of the princes. He knew that Soren had become fond of the step-prince, but he was not supposed to disobey Viren. 

It would be alright. Claudia would keep her brother in check and the egg would be returned to him soon. In the meantime, he had not one, but two specimens of magical creatures to study. The Moonshadow elf was stubborn but even it could be broken down soon enough. The Fae had snarled and postured but even though Viren had been unable to reveal its animal form so far, it would co-operate with a little incentive. 

He arrived back to his study and quickly turned the case that concealed the door to his dungeons. Only two of his most trusted guards were allowed down to feed the animals he had caged. He planned on asking the Elf about the mirror Viren had taken from the Dragon King. Perhaps it would be able to undo the magic hiding the mirrors secrets. After, he would study the Fae some more, to document the difference between its magic and elven magic.

He frowned at the door. The latch wasn’t shut completely. He dismissed it as a minor mistake on the guard’s behalf and stalked down the spiral stairs.  
Viren froze at the sight that greeted him. The chains holding his captive Fae dangled freely, the shackles shattered on the floor. He quickly checked the Elf’s cell and the door was wide open, with nobody inside.

Viren scanned the dungeon and saw footprints going down the corridor. He followed them and found a tunnel leading up through the earth to freedom. Some of the dirt was dislodged but it was clear that his prisoners were long gone.

The guards on watch startled and several birds in the forest scattered as an enraged scream filled the air.

Fifteen miles away, standing outside the Banther Lodge, Gren tilted his head and smiled. 

‘What has you so happy?’ asked Runaan, looking quizzically at him. ‘Viren has discovered our escape. I heard a scream of frustration that had that particular edge of ‘bratty noble upset because no one likes him and hic captives escaped’. Viren knows that the most likely place we’d go to is the Banther Lodge, but he also knows that his best Crown Guard is currently hunting the same people we are.’ Gren said, kneeling beside the river to try and find said people’s scent.

‘You can hear that far?’ Runaan said incredulously. ‘Yup. It helps that Viren was screaming pretty loudly.’ Gren replied. ‘I’ve got a scent. It’ll be hard to track them over water but as long as we follow the river we should find out where they exited it and I can pick up a stronger scent.’

He swung himself back up on his horse and the two of them followed the rivers course until it came to a waterfall. They stared down at the reservoir where dozens of dead fish floated belly up and the corpse of a monstrous water snake lay, miniature waves lapping against its charred sides. 

‘What do you want to bet that was the kids?’ Gren said, still staring at the lake. ‘I’m not losing any money to so obvious an answer.’ Runaan answered. ‘How did they even accomplish this?’ Gren said, in awe of the kid’s destructive capabilities. ‘I have no idea’ Came the reply. They contemplated the lake for a few minutes before finding a path down to the lakeside.

‘Their scent is much stronger here. I’d say they camped here for the night before continuing to Xadia.’ Gren said before pausing. ‘Hang on, there’s another scent. Metal, flour, constant exasperation at my stupidity, hatred of paperwork. That’s got to be Corvus. General Amaya asked him to keep tracking the princes while she returned to the Castle with me to question Viren. His scent is all over the place and its tangled with another scent. I know the Princes so it must be Raylas.’

Runaan paled drastically. ‘Can you smell blood? If its tangled, that means they fought each-other right?’ Gren nodded. ‘There’s no blood but there was a fight. Corvus would have brought the Princes to Amaya if he’d beaten her but his scent is nowhere near Callum and Ezran’s. Rayla is fine Runaan. We have to keep moving though. The scent is headed for the mountains, and there’s snow up there. If we don’t go now, the snow will cover the trail.’

Runaan urged his horse on. ‘Will the horses be able to go up those mountains?’ Gren grinned. ‘Those are Katolian warhorses. They don’t hold a candle to an Asterion but Katolian horses and hounds are the best in the Pentarchy.’ ‘Where are Asterions from?’ Runaan asked, curious about them. ‘They’re the oldest breed of horse in Erilea. According to legends, the Fae made them from the four winds- Northern spirit, Southern strength, Eastern speed and Western wisdom. Regardless of how they were bred, an Asterion mare is the most reliable horse you could ever have. They’re proud creatures though. If an Asterion doesn’t want you to ride them, you’re not getting within ten feet of them.’ Gren explained, patting the neck of his warhorse.

They continued through the forest to the mountains, Gren answering Runaan’s questions about Erilea and Runaan telling Gren about Xadia. 

Soren tuned out Claudia as she blathered on about the components needed for a tracking spell. His mind had been whirling since his father had told him to kill the princes. Maybe Dad hadn’t meant it the way Soren had taken it? No, he knew he wasn’t as smart as Claudia, Dad compared them all the time, but he wasn’t stupid. Dad wanted him to kill Callum and Ezran. 

Soren didn’t know what to do. He was loyal to his dad, but Callum was just a teenager, and Ezran was just a kid. He couldn’t kill them, but he couldn’t disobey his dad either. Soren hadn’t been close with his dad for years, ever since he had announced that he wanted to be a Crown Guard, but he still wanted his father to be proud of him.

Marcos would have known what to do. Soren wished he could’ve asked him, but he was in the infirmary after the attack by the elves. At least that was something Soren wasn’t conflicted about. The younger elf that had kidnapped the princes and had tried to kill Marcos in the woods. Although, she was young as well. But she was old enough to be an assassin and she was old enough to fight. 

Killing the elf wasn’t a problem but the Princes would be. Soren had known them for years! Callum was a dorky little dude that had a crush on Claudia, was abysmal at sword-fighting but brilliant at art. Ezran was a cute kid that loved animals and jelly tarts, who enjoyed getting into mischief and giving his tutors a heart attack. Soren had enabled Callum to try and impress Claudia the day King Harrow died. He had distracted the baker a day before so that Ezran could sneak some tarts.

How could he kill the boys, knowing what they were like? Knowing that they were just kids with crushes and kids with cool pets? It was Soren’s duty as a Crown Guard to protect and serve the Crown but now he was being told to kill the heirs. Soren didn’t know if he could do it. He didn’t want to do it. 

Ethari paced up and down the carpet in his living room, thinking about his family. Of the assassins sent to Katolis, only Runaan and Raylas flowers were left floating. Runaans had flickered, unable to decide whether it should sink or float, but it had steadied in the middle of the night. The Silvergrove was to have a meeting in a few minutes that would decide what to do about the remaining assassins. 

They had all known going out, that not all of them would return. None of them were so foolish as to think that the humans would be easy to overcome. They might not have Elven grace but in sheer numbers and determination, they could easily match any elf. 

It hadn’t made it any easier to watch Runaans flower flicker or to see the flowers belonging to Ram, Skor, Callisto and Andromeda sink to the bottom of the pool. The sight of Skor’s three brothers collapsing to the ground together replayed in Etharis mind as he made his way to the meeting hall. 

‘Order! Today we are gathered to debate as to what we should do in regard to the survivors of our assassin team, who were sent to kill King Harrow and Prince Ezran of Katolis. The survivors were Runaan Anamion and Rayla Caora. Runaan was their leader and Rayla their newest initiate. The floor is open to suggestions.’ Called one of the groves elders. 

An elf by the name of Arctias stood. ‘As the rest of the team were clearly overpowered by the humans, there are two things that may have happened to Anamion and Caora. One, is that they were captured. This is a likely option, as it is well-known that Katolis has a Dark Mage in its employ. Sadly, this Mage may have been torturing our people for information about Elves and our magic. Anamions flower has been flickering, which suggests an injury or possibly torture.’ Ethari cringed at the possibility of a human causing harm to his husband. Arctias sent an apologetic glance to him, as did several other elves. The idea of losing your family in honourable combat was terrible enough. The idea of your family being denied a dignified death and being captured to suffer torture was worse. 

Arctias continued after a moment. ‘The second option is that Anamion and Caora fled and abandoned their comrades. If it had simply been Caora that survived, I may have considered this. It was her first mission, and the sight of her team being cut down around her may have caused her to flee. It is not an attack on her character, I assure you. It would simply be a natural reaction for an untested warrior. However, Anamion has been the leader of the assassins for well over a decade. He would not abandon his team and he is a skilled warrior. Therefore, I propose a third theory. As Anamions flower has stabilised, it is possible that he and Caora have escaped capture and may be returning to us now. If that is the case, I believe we should send out scouts to the border to search for them. They may need assistance.’

Ethari let out a silent breath. He had been terrified that the Grove would condemn Runaan and Rayla as cowards and ghost them. He couldn’t bear the thought of being unable to see his husband and his daughter in all but blood. He had worried that Tiadrin and Lain’s supposed actions all those years ago would colour the council’s opinions on his family.   
‘All in favour of sending scouts? All against? Very well. A search party will be sent to the borders of Silvergroves territory and messages will be sent to all of the nearby clans.’  
Ethari relaxed as elves began to file out. Arctias paused by his seat. ‘I hope for your sake, that we find them. I cannot imagine being in your position right now, unknowing of where a spouse and child are. I know that your Rayla is near full-grown, but a parent never stops worrying do they? I also apologise for my, ah, suspicions. I know Rayla is loyal and true, but it was a possibility and it couldn’t be ruled out straight away.’

Ethari smiled at them. ‘Its alright Arctias. Someone had to say it. I love Rayla but I know it did look suspicious. Besides, you introduced the motion of looking for them. Many would write them off and then act as if were a miracle when they returned home rather than an act of perseverance and courage on their part. Thank you for that Arctias.’  
They smiled back at him and gave a short bow. ‘I cannot wait to see them return triumphant. Justice has been served and Rayla and Runaan will be remembered for it.’ They left the hall and soon it was just Ethari left. 

He closed his eyes and thought of the last time he had seen his family. He had given the enchanted flower to Runaan and told him that his heart went out with that one. Runaan had smiled a rare smile and promised that he would return Ethari’s heart. Ethari hoped that he could keep his promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finished! The council scene came from me wondering whether or not Rayla would be ghosted if everyone knew that Runaan was alive. So I wrote an answer lol  
> The inspiration for Runaan and Raylas surnames came from the meaning of their first names and their translations in Irish  
> Runaan-Pure Soul-Anam Íon-Anamion  
> Rayla-Ewe-Caora
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always welcome so lmk what you think of this chapter!


	5. Runaan Does Not Approve Of Snow But He Does Approve Of Gren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter felt like pulling teeth to write, but I did it!  
> Without further ado, here is Chapter 5 of TIWWCA

Runaan and Gren soon reached the Iarsmai Mountains and began their climb. Gren checked for scents periodically and although Corvus’s scent drifted towards a small hamlet on the side of the mountain, the Princes and Rayla’s kept going. They soon picked up a trail from a cave and found an avalanche that they presumed their clumsy quarry had accidentally caused. Their horses weren’t impressed by the snow, but they were well-trained. Runaan wasn’t enthused either. 

‘Is the whole mountain covered in snow? Its freezing up here.’ he said, shivering. Gren just laughed. ‘If you think it’s cold here, you’d hate Terrasen. Our winters are some of the deadliest in Erilea. It doesn’t bother us that much because we know how to handle them but everyone else hates them. The first time that the Bane camped in Terrasen during winter, the Terrasenian men and women all had extra clothes under their armour and doubled up in tents to share body heat. When we were packing our gear before leaving, all the soldiers from places like Fenharrow or Eyllwe were laughing at us. The second we set up camp, they all came begging for spare clothes. Kyllian was the only non-Terrasenian who was actually prepared, because he knew about the winters from me.’

‘Are the winters that bad? They sound quite cold.’ Runaan asked. Xadia had a fairly moderate climate and he wasn’t used to a lot of snow.

‘Yeah, I meant it when I said they were deadly. Adarlan invaded during the summer because of them since even though they have harsh winters, there's nothing like a Terrasenian blizzard. People die every year because they get lost in the snow or they get caught in one. I used to live in Orynth, our capital city, and the Oakwald Forests are at the far edge of the Theralis Plain. The Plain stands between us and the OakwaldsWhen I was twelve, before the war, there was a massive blizzard, one of the coldest in our history. A caravan of Adarlanian merchants had been travelling through Oakwald and while Terrasenians would have built camp and sheltered the second they felt the Northern Wind, the Adarlanians decided to keep going. They thought they would be able to reach Orynth before the storm set in.’ Gren explained. ‘I’m guessing they didn’t?’ Runaan said.

‘Nope. They were supposed to rendezvous at the Florine River but the people waiting for them allowed an extra day or two for the storm. After it abated, they sent out a group to retrieve the merchants. No one could find them at first, before the Fae in the group caught their scent. The first person to collapse had been left where he fell, and by the time the rescue team found his body, he was under twelve feet of snow. They found the rest of the group further along, all of them buried under it. If they had stopped and made a shelter, the majority would have survived.’ Gren said, remembering the rescue team coming back with the corpses.

Runaan whistled softly. ‘Wow, that sounds brutal.’ Gren shrugged. ‘I mean, yeah it is, but as long as you respect the weather, you’ll be fine. Terrasenians have fallen prey to it too, but it’s been drilled into our heads since we were children to never face a blizzard head on. It works in our favour as well. The clothes made in Terrasen are made to withstand these winters. A lot of rebel groups stage attacks during small blizzards and in the aftermath of them too. We’re also used to siege conditions because when its too dangerous to leave the house for food, you have to ration what you have. Besides, winter only comes around once a year.’ He finished. ‘I suppose so.’ Runaan said contemplatively.

‘Anyways, it’s a pretty gloomy topic. You mentioned Kyllian again earlier and I admit that I’m curious about him.’ Said the elf. Gren sighed dreamily. ‘Kyllian is amazing. He’s gorgeous, he’s kind, loyal, sarcastic and he’s a brilliant soldier. Fae mate for life and when we do, we leave a scarred bite on each other’s neck, so that everyone knows you are Mated.’

Gren quickly broke the stone in his wrist to let his glamour fall and showed Runaan his own mark. As a human, Kyllian’s bite hadn’t been as forceful as Gren’s, with his sharpened teeth but every Fae would know it for what it was regardless. 

‘Kyllian is it for me. I met him when he joined the Bane and I instantly liked him. However, I waited too long, and he began a relationship with Aedion. They broke up a few months later and after a few weeks, I confessed to Kyllian. He reciprocated thankfully, and we started courting. A few months later, he accepted my Mating Bite. Being separated from him is the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through.’

Runaan smiled at him. ‘I know the feeling. Ethari and I have been together since we were teenagers, and I can’t imagine being separated from him for so long. You said that Kyllian wasn’t from Terrasen? Where is he from then?’

‘His mother is from Eyllwe and he grew up in Eyllwe, but his father is from Tigana in the Southern Continent. He is human, but when Fae mate, our lifespans are shared with our mates *. I will Settle soon and when I do, Kyllian will Settle as well. I’m glad of it, because I don’t think I could handle such a long life without him.’ Gren said, thinking about the love of his life. 

Runaan smiled at his happiness and they continued riding. Much to Runaan’s delight they were soon out of the mountains and onto the plains. 

They came upon a small town shortly before sunset and Gren repaired the stone beneath his skin, sighing when his Fae features disappeared once more. ‘Alright, humans. Runaan, I’ll tie the chains pretty loosely but as far as the people here are concerned, you’ve been defeated by the might of the Katolian Castle Guards and you’re being dragged to meet General Amaya so she can toss you into the Breach. My glamour is back in action so we should be alright’ Gren said, bringing his horse to a halt. 

‘We’ll probably have to camp outside the main town, there’s no way they will let me stay here, prisoner or not.’ Runaan replied, stopping next to him. Gren nodded and they both dismounted. Gren quickly chained Runaan’s wrists and they headed down the hill. 

The townsfolk grew quiet as they passed through. Runaan played the part of belligerent captive, rattling the chains and glaring at Gren’s back. One brave soul stepped forward.

‘Sir, may I ask why you are here? My apologies, I mean no disrespect.’ Gren smiled at him. ‘No apology necessary. I am simply escorting this one,’ here he tugged the chains binding Runaan, ‘to the Breach, for General Amaya to deal with. His crew trespassed on Katolian land and attempted to assassinate Prince Ezran. The Crown Guard subdued him, and General Amaya has requested he be thrown into the lava. We won’t be staying here, don’t worry. We are meeting the rest of my squadron at their camp outside the town limits.’

The humans around them relaxed and they strode through the town square, their horses following them obediently. Another man soon accosted them. 

‘Oh, I’m so glad you’re here, uh, Lieutenant! There was an elf here yesterday and she attacked me! She looked like the one you have imprisoned, with those ghastly markings and inhuman hands!’ Runaan didn’t have to fake his growl this time.

‘An elf? Was there anyone with her?’ Gren asked, hoping it was the princes. ‘Yes! Two human boys. The elf probably kidnapped them, the poor children. Last I heard, she was going to make them climb the Cursed Caldera!’ Said the man, clearly excited about telling someone his news. 

‘I see. I’ll be meeting with my squadron soon and we will hunt the elf after this one is taken care of. Were you injured, sir?’ Gren played along. ‘Well, no, but the elf seemed frustrated! She wanted to use my blade to cut some odd binding on her arm.’ Gren couldn’t help but think of Runaan’s binding, threatening to amputate his arm. ‘Well, any information is helpful. Thank you for telling me, I will deal with that elf soon.’ He said, hoping to extricate them from the conversation.

The man shook his hand furiously and they left the square. ‘Cursed Caldera, eh? I wonder what in Mala’s name they want go up there for. Oh well, no rest for the wicked. They don’t have horses so we should make good time.’ Gren said, untangling Runaan’s chains as soon as they were hidden behind the trees.

‘They probably have a good reason. Probably. Anyways, at least we know for sure we’re on the right track.’ Runaan replied, shaking out his wrists. ‘We should put some sort of covers on the horse’s ears. Its what we do for Shadowpaws in the Midnight Desert to keep them from spooking.’ Gren agreed and they quickly fashioned blinkers for the animals.

They stared up at the Caldera in front of them and began to climb.

A few kilometres above them, Callum watched the spider perform the ‘jerkface’ dance again and sighed. This was its third time and they had to keep moving. They brushed past the spider and it started to get sad. Ezran whispered something to it and it perked up, performing the dance for the trees. 

They kept moving and soon reached the old tree Ellis had told them about. Callum was worried that the mystery healer wouldn’t be able to do anything for the egg, but he kept a positive face on, not wanting to worry Ezran. 

He was proven right when the moon lady appeared. ‘Oh no! Ez was right about everything. That’s no miracle healer. She’s a fake.’ Callum felt his heart sink. ‘What? How do you know?’ He was desperately hoping that Rayla was wrong, but he knew that she wasn’t.

Rayla explained that the woman was a moon illusionist and that she had never healed Ava. The elf, Lujanne, nodded sadly. She told them how she used illusions to give Ava the appearance of four legs but that it wasn’t real, and about the illusions and glamours protecting somewhere called the Moon Nexus.

Ezran quickly told Lujanne about the egg and Callum could only watch as Rayla and Ezran cried, powerless to do anything. Without a storm, the egg was gone. A storm…. Then it came to him.

‘I know what I have to do.’ He said, pulling out the Primal Stone. Rayla glanced over, eyes widening as she realised his plan. 

Callum took a deep breath - and then he smashed the Primal Stone, releasing the storm trapped inside it.

They watched with wide eyes as the storm built up, the wind tearing at their clothes and the egg rolling dangerously. Rayla raced to catch it, preventing another fall, and then the eye opened up, the wind abating.

Multi-coloured lightning started dancing around the egg and they looked on with bated breath, but the egg went dark regardless. Callum nearly cried seeing it lose its last light, so close to hatching but then there was a small cracking sound. Then another, and another, before the cutest animal Callum had ever seen tumbled out. 

Bait licked the little dragon’s eyes open and he tumbled forward, leaping onto Ezran. ‘You know your own name! Azymondias. We’ll call you Zym, for short.’ Ezran laughed, a wide smile on his face.

Zym tumbled over to Rayla next, licking inquisitively as her band. Rayla soothed him but the tiny creature pulled at the band, tugging and tugging, until it came off and he went flying backwards. 

Rayla looked at her arm incredulously, and at the skin returning to its usual colour. Callum grinned at her and she grinned back. All was right with the world, for now. They could worry about Xadia later. Across the kingdom, Soren pulled himself to the top of Mount Kalik as his sister set up her tracking spell. Below them, Gren and Runaan stared at a spider, somehow performing Prince Callum’s ‘jerkface dance’, both still shaken from the sudden lightning storm. There would be time for that later. Right now, Callum watched his newfound best friend and his little brother play with a baby dragon, while Ellis laughed at them and Ava barked in excitement and Lujanne smiled at the new hope these children had brought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ik that in the ToG books, humans don't get to be immortal regardless of who they're with but magic knows no logic and neither do I. Gren gets to be immortal with his hot soldier boyfriend  
> Zym has arrived though! Our favourite dungeon buddies get to meet him in the next chapter, don't worry.


	6. Gren Is Immortal, Why Is He Getting Grey Hairs From Reckless Kids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter six! Thank you so much for the comments and kudos, i appreciate it a lot!  
> This is the longest chapter so far, hence the bit of a delay.  
> Hope you enjoy it!

Callum turned around at the sound of hooves. ‘Uh, guys, I can hear horses and horses mean people. What do you want to do?’ Rayla stood and picked up her weapons. ‘Where are Ez and Ellis? We should make sure they’re safe first.’ 

The horses drew closer and Callum tensed before he saw who was on them. ‘Gren? Wait, why are you with the grumpy assassin?’ Gren laughed and the elf scowled, proving Callum’s point. Rayla pointed her swords at the assassin. 

‘What’re you doing here, Runaan? I thought ye wanted Ezran dead regardless of the Dragon Prince.’ Runaan’s face softened. ‘I said horrible things to that night Rayla and I’m sorry about it. You’re my daughter and I should have trusted you. I love you and I’m willing to prove it. I’m not here to harm the humans, I want to help ye.’   
Rayla wavered and then let her swords fall. ‘I forgive ye Runaan, I won’t forget it anytime soon, but I can try.’

Ezran came running up then, at the exact wrong moment. ‘Callum! I heard talking, what’s going on?’ Ellis and Ava came after him and the wolf had an odd reaction to Gren.  
She ran straight to him and lay in front of him, belly exposed. Callum recognised the position from the hunting dogs back at the castle. They always did it to the alpha dog. He didn’t know why Ava was doing it to Gren. 

Gren crouched in front of her and put his hand on her shoulder. Ava whined softly and accepted it. ‘She’s never done that for anyone before.’ Ellis said, staring at the interaction.   
‘I have a lot to explain. First things first though, Viren is a threat to you both. He’s assumed the position of Lord Protector and he’s sent Soren and Claudia after you both, ostensibly to bring you back to the castle but he wants the two of you dead. With the heirs to the throne gone, he can use the Orphan Clause to become king. The beam of light after the mini thunderstorm last night, might have been a tracking spell, as dark magic is usually purple.’ Gren said quickly. 

Callum stumbled back and Ezran gasped. ‘Viren wants us dead? Soren and Claudia won’t do it!’   
Callum winced at Ezran’s words. He had known Soren for years and the older boy was dedicated to protecting the Crown, but he was also loyal to his father. Callum didn’t know what Soren would do if he had to choose between the two.

He shook it off. His main concern was keeping Ezran safe and getting them all to Xadia to reunite Zym with his mother. ‘I think we all have a lot to talk about. Ezran, Ellis go get Zym and Lujanne. Gren and Runaan will need to know about him. Then you guys can explain what’s been going on since we left.’ Ez nodded and the two ran back to the boulders they had been practising on with Zym.

‘Gren, I…I know that Harrow is most likely dead, but I need you to pretend, even just until we all get caught up, that he’s not. I need to take care of Ez and if you confirm it, I’ll just shut down and I can’t afford to do that. I know that Runaan is an assassin like Rayla, and that he’s probably the one who did it, but if you tell me outright, all I’ll do is focus on him being the person who killed our dad and that won’t help anyone. So, please, wait until we’re all on the same page and let me break it to Ezran. Can you do that?’ Callum said, focusing on Gren.

He knew that he would have to recognise that he and Ez were truly orphans now at some point, but he couldn’t afford to fall apart right now. Gren knew that and the soldier nodded at him, his face solemn and serious, so unlike the Gren he knew.

He had only ever seen Gren without his usual smile on a few occasions. There was one day every year that Callum knew was the anniversary of the day Terrasen fell. Gren was always melancholy then and on the anniversary of when he came to Katolis. It seemed so wrong for Gren to be serious or sad. 

Rayla stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, silently offering her comfort. Ava whined from her spot at Gren’s heels, and Callum really needed an explanation for that.  
Ez and Ellis came back then, Zym perched on Ezran’s head. Bait was glowing green still, padding along beside Lujanne. Runaan choked when he saw the baby dragon casually balanced on a human prince. 

‘Great, another human. Leader Runaan, it’s a pleasure to meet you.’ Lujanne said, clearly unimpressed with more people in her sanctuary. Callum couldn’t blame her. She had protected the Moon Nexus all these years with her illusions and now people were just randomly appearing to bother her.

‘Alright, there’s a table in the courtyard. We can talk there.’ Rayla led the way and Callum followed behind her. He had no idea how Gren and Runaan would react to everything they had done since leaving the castle and he wasn’t looking forward to it.

Gren exchanged a glance with Runaan. They would finally get an explanation for the dead fish and the avalanche, but they would also have to explain their prison break and Gren’s species. 

‘So, first things first, Rayla didn’t kidnap you? Because you were actually kind of convincing at the Lodge but then Runaan told me that the Dragon Prince, who is apparently no longer an egg, was alive and that you were trying to return him to Xadia.’ Gren decided to start with the basics. 

‘Yeah, we weren’t exactly kidnapped. Rayla got into the castle and Ez and I escaped through one of the secret passageways. We ended up in one of Viren’s workshops, where the egg was. Rayla found us and we showed her the egg. Then Claudia arrived and she tried to get the egg off us, so I stole her Primal Stone and uh, tied her in chains. We ran but then Claudia managed to send these wolves made of smoke after us. I used the Primal Stone to blow them away and we escaped.’ Callum began before hesitating.   
Gren glanced over at Runaan, who was wincing. Clearly, they had met him in the next part of their adventure and Runaan wasn’t proud of it. 

Rayla picked up the story then. ‘We got up to the rooftops and found Runaan to show him the egg. We tried to get him to call off the assassination, but he wouldn’t. I fought him to let the boys get away, but he got past me and headed for the king. I went back to Callum and Ez and Callum left to warn the king and tell him about Zym.’

At that, Gren reached over and smacked the side of Callum’s head. ‘Since General Amaya isn’t here, I’m telling you that was a stupid idea on her behalf. There were Moonshadow assassins in the castle and you knew that since Viren had stolen the egg, he might not be trustworthy.’ 

Callum rubbed the back of his neck. ‘In my defence…I have no defence, it was kind of stupid. But hey! I didn’t die and Viren only took away my voice temporarily!’ he said, which didn’t help Gren’s blood pressure at all. Amaya would commit a murder if she ever found out that Viren had used dark magic on one of her nephews.

‘Uh anyways, I got stopped by Viren before I got to Da-King Harrow. When the elves attacked, Viren got distracted and I was able to escape and meet up with Rayla and Ez. We travelled to the Banther Lodge after that, where you and Aunt Amaya found us. We headed down the river, camped for a bit, climbed a mountain for fun and then ended up on the Cursed Caldera. What happened after the Lodge though? How did you meet Runaan?’ Callum said, glossing over the rest of the trip, hoping that Gren wouldn’t press and learn about the other less than intelligent things they did. Like letting the toad eat their only source of sustenance.

‘Right, that. Well, General Amaya left Corvus behind to track you guys and we headed to the castle. Viren was trying to assume power and Amaya intervened, saying that since you two were alive, there was no need for him to take the throne. Apparently Viren had told the kingdom that you guys were dead. Viren said that he would send out a taskforce to find you with Claudia and Soren at its head. Amaya disagreed and put me in charge. As soon as Amaya left, Viren had me imprisoned, which is where I met Runaan.’ Gren said, slightly nervous because soon he would have to explain his Faeness.

‘Uh, before I continue, there is something else you need to know, so that the rest of the explanation makes sense. As I’ve told you before, I’m from Terrasen. I’ve also told you that I’m human and that was a lie. I’m a Terrasenian Fae, one of the magical races of Erilea.’ Gren held his breath, waiting to see the reactions of the princes he had known for so long.  
‘Why would you lie, Gren?’ Ezran’s eyes were wide and hurt. Every brotherly instinct Gren had once used for Arctan, came out in full force.

‘I would’ve told you if I could, but Ezran, everyone hates Fae. I spent a month in a death camp in Adarlan before Aedion freed me, because I was Fae and from Terrasen. The king of Adarlan banished me for a minor mistake because it gave him an excuse to get rid of me. The only reason I’m not dead is because my family are too powerful for Adarlan to risk killing me. If I hadn’t hid it here, at best I would be banished from Katolis too, and at worst, I would become parts for Viren to use. I truly am sorry, but I cannot apologise for keeping myself alive.’ He said gently, with an undercurrent of steel in his voice. 

He looked over to Callum, watching him nervously. The elder prince still hadn’t said anything. 

‘I- You’re a Fae? How’s that different from a human? You look human to me. I mean, Rayla and Runaan have horns, and…and four fingers, they’re pretty obviously not human? But you don’t.’ Callum said, confusion evident in his voice.

Gren breathed a sigh of relief. Callum wasn’t mad, just curious. ‘It’s a glamour, a form of illusion. Without it, I’m pretty obviously Fae. Here, I’ll break it.’ Gren quickly broke the anchor stone and allowed his Fae features to appear.

Callum gasped and Gren smiled at his excitement. ‘Your teeth are so pointy! That’s indicative of a hunting society, right? All of the books I’ve read say that physical characteristics can tell you about the traits people of a certain race has. Like the way Southern Katolians like King Harrow and Ez have darker skin because the South has so much sun.’ He said eagerly. 

Gren laughed at his enthusiasm again. ‘Yeah, Fae diets are pretty meat-based. It’s also because of our shift. Full Fae or Demi-Fae with at least three quarters Fae blood like me have a shift form. We can change from our regular Fae body to an animal form.’

‘Wait, is that why Ava was submissive to you earlier? Like I said, she’s never done that before.’ Ellis said, making the connection.

‘Yup! My shift form is that of a dire wolf whereas Ava here is a timber wolf. Dire wolves are bigger and more dominant than timber wolves do. As well, I’m older and a male wolf, so if Ava and I shared a pack, I would be the alpha, hence the submission.’ Gren replied, smiling at the young girl. 

‘Demi-Fae? Do Fae marry humans too?’ Callum asked, eager to know as much as possible about Fae. ‘Yeah, they do! My mother, Rannai Salvaterre is a full Fae and my father, Trystan Praisle, is Demi-Fae. Since I only have one human grandparent, I’m able to shift, Settle and use magic. Settling is when we formally become immortal and ‘settle’ into our magic.

‘Can you show us? That would be so cool!’ Ezran said, as excited as his brother. ‘Maybe later. I should probably finish the rest of our explanation.’ Ezran pouted but Gren was quick to reassure him.

‘There’s not much left to say. Viren knew about the whole Fae thing and he broke my glamour. Only temporarily though, he’s not that powerful.’ Rayla let out an undignified snort when she heard him dismiss Viren and Gren pointed at her. ‘Runaan also had a really fun reaction to Viren slander.’ Runaan rolled his eyes but he was smiling.

‘Anyway! I got as much information out of him as I could and then broke out. I used magic to break our chains and make an escape tunnel out of the dungeon. I kind of liked Runaan at that point so I brought him along.’ 

The aforementioned elf glared half-heartedly at him. At this point, he was barely holding onto the grumpy elf reputation, and Gren took great pleasure in destroying it.  
‘We went back to the Lodge and I caught your scents. Fae senses are really powerful, and we’re able to track the unique scent that everyone has. We passed a couple of weird things, like fried fish and avalanches that I’m gonna blame on you guys and came to the village below here. A funny swordsman accosted us, but he mentioned Rayla, so we knew you guys were close. Then we climbed the Caldera, met a fun spider doing Callum’s ‘jerkface’ dance, and then got the living sh-daylights scared out of us by a random storm. Then we found you. Tada.’ He waved his hands for emphasis and Callum laughed at him. 

‘Yeah, the fried fish was us. This giant river monster attacked us, and I fought the thing, but my swords were like toothpicks to it, so Callum used the Primal Stone that he, ah, borrowed from Claudia to cast a lightning spell at it. Which killed the monster! But also shocked the Sources out of all the regular fish.’ Rayla chimed in. 

Zym chirped in agreement from Ezran’s head and Runaan finally said something. ‘How did you hatch the egg? Was that the cause of the storm last night?’ Zym leapt off of Ezran but got his baby claws tangled in Ez’s hair and just kind of…flopped.

He scrambled up again and scampered up to Runaan, who duly knelt in front of him. The tiny dragon tugged on Runaan’s band and the elf watched him. He clearly didn’t think anything would happen but obliged the prince anyways. The look of surprise on his face when the band unravelled would have made Gren laugh except he was staring at Zym too.   
‘How?’ Runaan breathed softly. ‘I don’t know. He did the same thing to me. He hatched last night. I, uh, dropped his egg during the whole avalanche thing and the egg was damaged. The only way to save him was to hatch him but Sky Dragons can only be born during storms. Callum smashed his Primal Stone which let out the storm in it and bam! Baby dragon.’ Rayla said, glad to see Runaan’s arm returning to normal. 

‘I agreed to let them stay at the Moon Nexus so that they could teach Prince Azymondias the basics of flight. Will you two be accompanying them to Xadia?’ Lujanne said. She had been quiet for much of the conversation and the group jumped, having almost forgotten she was there. 

‘That’s the plan, yes. Gren can reuse his glamour indefinitely so he’ll appear human in the Pentarchy and his Fae appearance will keep him safe in Xadia but Prince Callum, Prince Ezran, have you thought about disguising yourself? Xadians won’t take kindly to humans, especially Katolians.’ Runaan said, realising that the princes wouldn’t be very inconspicuous in the Elven lands, especially if they ran into Sunfire elves who particularly hated humans.

‘We didn’t think about that. Uh, we should probably make a plan.’ Callum said sheepishly, turning over ideas in his head. ‘I might have a solution. Moon opals can be tied to a permanent illusion, not just a temporary one. I use moon opals to keep up the illusions on the Caldera when I’m away.’ Lujanne offered. ‘I can thread some on necklaces that you boys can wear in Xadia.’ 

Callum perked up. ‘That would be amazing Lujanne! Thank you so much. Well, now that’s sorted can you show us your magic, Gren? Only if you want to though.’   
Gren smiled again. He had been so worried that the Princes would hate him, and he wouldn’t be able to complete his mission for Amaya. He had grown fond of the two boys over the years he had been in Katolis. Callum reminded him of his own brother, Arctan. Arctan had loved reading and learning just as much as Callum did. He had always been fascinated by his own magic and he had begged their parents to be allowed to attend Devellin. 

‘Alright. Do you want to see a Shift, or do you want to see magic? I can manipulate the earth so I can move things like rock, soil, and stones.’ He said, grinning at the young princes.

‘Ooh. They both sound so cool but do you mind Shifting?’ Callum said eagerly. Gren obliged and stretched before there was a flash of light and the Fae was replaced by an enormous wolf standing at Ezran’s shoulder.  
Ava yipped and Gren barked back. Ava crouched into a playful position and Gren nudged her. The younger wolf snapped at his fluffy tail and Gren danced away, the two wolves tussling energetically. Ezran laughed in delight. ‘You’re so fluffy Gren! And huge! You’re nearly as tall as me! This is so cool.’ Callum nodded enthusiastically beside him. 

Rayla took the opportunity to stand beside Runaan. The older Elf looked at her and she smiled before hugging him. ‘Love ya, Dad’ Runaan smiled back at her, feeling choked up all of a sudden. ‘I love you too, kiddo.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exposing your belly is a submissive move for dogs, and laying a paw on another dogs back or shoulders is one dog basically saying 'Hey, I'm in charge here'  
> Dire wolves are technically extinct but he's a magic wolf so *shrugs*  
> Readers of ToG might notice a connection between Gren's mother and one of the Cadre ;)


	7. Zym Collects Humans For His Hoard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I returned to online school at the start of January and i have exams this year so i've been drowning in homework.  
> Without further ado, here's chapter 7 of TiWWCA!

Ava and Gren played for a while before Gren padded over to the others and Shifted back. “There’s two more people arriving, I think its Claudia and Soren by the scent. I want you all to stay here and I’ll head down to meet them.” He said, worried that the siblings might try to attack the elves amongst them and kill the princes.

The kids nodded solemnly and Runaan pulled his quiver over his shoulder, bow strung and ready. Lujanne took a moon opal from her bag, ready to cast. Gren’s magic roiled beneath his skin and he used it to repair the small stone permanently embedded in his wrist. 

His heart ached to see the kids so ready for battle, but he pushed the feeling down and started walking to meet Claudia and Soren. He found them after a few minutes, arguing over something trivial enough. Gren smiled, remembering the dumb arguments he used to have with his own brother.

‘Hey, you two! I’m guessing you’re looking for the princes?’ He said cheerfully, waiting to see how they reacted before he made a decision regarding bringing them to the Moon Nexus.

Claudia startled and Soren’s sword whipped up to Gren’s neck. “Easy! It’s just me. Although, I probably have a bounty on me by now. In which case, hear me out before decapitating me?” Gren yelped. He should’ve thought about the possibility he was wanted after their escape. He did break out an elven assassin responsible for the king’s death, but he had thought that Viren would never admit to imprisoning a Battalion soldier. Or admit to letting one escape.

Soren lowered his sword warily. The analytic part of Gren’s brain noted his hesitance and the way he kept his weapon held tightly at his side, which would make it easier for Soren to swing the blade back up. The soldier part decided that if Soren ever got sick of being a Crown Guard, he could join the Standing Battalion. 

“Alright. You mentioned the princes. Are they okay? Did you deal with the elf?” Soren asked and Gren abruptly remembered that the alarm had been raised after a Crown Guard had been attacked by an elf. The elf being Rayla and the guard being Marcos, who happened to be Soren’s partner. 

“Uh, Callum and Ezran are okay. About the elf. She’s still here. And uh, so is the other elf. Whoa, sword down please and thank you. Neither elf has hurt them!” Gren said tentatively, scrambling back as Soren tensed. 

“Hasn’t hurt them? She kidnapped them! And the archer killed the king!” Soren said furiously. He couldn’t believe that Gren hadn’t killed her. Her group had killed King Harrow and his guards. Soren had had to write letters to twelve families to tell them that their children had been killed defending the king. The archer elf alone had killed five of them and King Harrow. It had been Soren’s job to repel the elves and he had failed.

Wait. The archer elf had been locked in the same dungeon as Gren. If he had escaped, then… “Gren. Did you free the King’s murderer.” It wasn’t a question.   
The interpreter winced. “I’m sorry Soren. I did.” He said, seemingly remorseful. Soren didn’t care. Ilian, Caira, Daiman, Tomais, Fhasu, Harrow. The archer had killed them all. And Gren had freed him. 

Gren had freed the elf that murdered his men, his women, his king. Soren was in charge of them, he was their Captain, and they were dead because of the archer and instead of getting justice, their killer had been freed. 

He attacked Gren, sword flashing through the air. He didn’t care that Gren was a fellow soldier because he was a traitor too. Gren stepped back and pulled his own sword, blocking Soren’s swing. Soren kept pressing but Gren pushed back, swords sliding and locking together. Soren pulled free and slashed down at Gren’s torso, aiming to kill.  
But the Standing Battalion were the best in the Kingdom for a reason. Gren blocked again and twisted Soren’s sword so that it fell from his grasp and into Gren’s. His own sword came to rest at Soren’s neck, and he stepped back, conceding. 

He was still furious with Gren, but he knew when he was beaten. “I truly am sorry, Soren. I know that many guards were killed in the attack and I know that they were yours. But I couldn’t leave Runaan in that dungeon. Katolis does not abide by torture and neither does Terrasen. As a soldier of the former and a native of the latter, I can’t abide by it either. Trust me, Runaan will have to answer for the dead but not right now. We have a chance for peace with the elves now, and we can’t afford their anger. If humans and elves keep fighting, more and more people are going to die. I know that Katolis is strong but if the elves ever decide to invade, humans cannot stand up against magic. Humans are better off being their allies. Please, Soren, just hear me out.” Gren said desperately.

Soren met his eyes and they looked at each other for a long moment. “I won’t say that I’ll get along with the elves and I won’t say that I’ll make peace. But if you can promise me that no more will die in conflict with Xadia, then I will listen. First though, explain what you meant when you said the elf didn’t kidnap Callum and Ezran.” He said evenly.  
As long as the heirs were okay, then he would ally with Gren. Soren still didn’t know if he would follow his father’s orders but for now, he was still a Crown Guard and his priority was the Crown. 

Gren’s shoulders relaxed. “I’m not asking you to love them. Your father didn’t kill the Dragon Prince, he stole it instead. The elves were there that night to kill Harrow and Ezran for revenge but when the princes found the egg, they convinced the youngest elf, Rayla, to help them return the egg. Returning the Dragon Prince will help broker peace.” He said, studying the siblings. 

So far, Soren seemed willing to agree to a cease-fire with Rayla and Runaan. But Claudia was the unknown. Soren had always seemed desperate to please Viren, but he was loyal to Katolis first. Claudia was so close to her father and according to the kids, she had tried to stop them leaving with the egg, referring to Zym as a weapon, rather than a child. She also used Dark Magic whereas Soren didn’t. Gren knew that if it came to a fight, that his magic was stronger, but he didn’t want to test it.

He was right to worry. “We can’t just give the egg back! The Xadians will use it against us, its too powerful. We have to bring it back to Katolis, Dad can use it to protect us.” Claudia burst out, glaring at Gren. 

Soren looked back at her. “Clauds, it’s an egg. Even if it hatches, it’ll just be a baby. Besides, if their Prince is returned to them then the Elves might stop attacking.” He said, reassuring her. “Remember the food shortage a couple of years ago? The one that started this whole mess. If we ally with Xadia, then something like that won’t happen again. I don’t like the idea either, but we need to do this.” 

Claudia subsided but Gren had a feeling that she wasn’t truly done with the matter. “Alright, we’re semi-okay with elves. But Soren, I know what your Dad asked you to do.” The younger man paled, and Claudia cocked her head, confused. “Hey its alright. I just need your promise that you won’t do it. I know that you don’t want to disobey your dad but this time your loyalty to Katolis supersedes your loyalty to him. They are still your Princes.”

Soren swallowed and nodded. “I swear. They’re just kids, Commander, I swear I wouldn’t do it.” He had made his decision when he had told his sister to leave the egg alone. If he didn’t want to let an enemy prince die because he was just a child, then how could he justify killing his own princes? With orders? Soren had given his fair share of orders as a Crown Guard and he knew the difference between a good order and a bad one. It might’ve taken him a little longer to find that difference this time, because it had been given by his dad, but Gren’s reminder was all he needed to find it. He wouldn’t harm them.

Marcos paced around the barracks as the other Guards watched him. “Marcos, pacing isn’t gonna bring the Captain back sooner. I know you’re worried but he’s a damn good fighter and his sister has that Dark Magic of hers. Its weird but it works. He’ll be fine.” Danis said, sounding slightly concerned for his mental state. 

Marcos didn’t care. He’d seen the elf that had kidnapped the Princes. She might have let him go but she was an elf, nonetheless. She probably already knew that the rest of the elves were dead, except the archer. That would make her mad enough to kill Soren, since he had taken out two of the elves alone. The archer was free as well, having escaped a few nights ago. 

Soren had left before the escape. The archer might be tracking him, and he wouldn’t even know. The younger elf hadn’t seemed capable of taking a life, but the archer clearly didn’t have the same compunctions. Five Guards had been killed by the savage elf. 

Lord Viren had promised revenge on Xadia for their deaths, but Marcos wasn’t sure it was the right course of action. If they went to war fully, not just the tense stalemate they had now, then his friends wouldn’t be the only one’s dead. He wanted justice for them but not at the cost of thousands of Katolian lives.

“Hey Marc. Relax. Everything will turn out okay. Cap and Claudia will bring the princes back and take care of the elves. You just have to trust him.” Danis said again, and Marcos blew out a breath. “Okay. You’re right. I trust Sor with my life, I can trust him with his.”

Everything would be fine. It had to be fine, because Marcos didn’t know if he could lose Soren and stay whole. 

Magic Human shot up as Wolfy Fae rounded the corner with new humans to meet. Speaker Human had hidden Zym behind a rock just in case, but Wolfy Fae seemed relaxed and Zym wanted to meet the new people. The female gasped when she saw him. 

“He’s so cute! Look at his little smile Sor-Bear!” She squealed. Zym chuffed at her and came to investigate this strange human. He sneezed and rubbed at his nose when she leaned down to look at him. He didn’t like this one. She smelled like bad magic and dead things. 

Zym decided to leave the bad magic human and examine the male one. “Hey little guy. I’m Soren!” Zym didn’t know what a Soren was but he did like this one. He smelt like metal the same way that Small Elf and Pointy Elf and Wolfy Fae did. Maybe it was because they all had pointy ears? But this human had round ears. 

Zym sniffed him again. It smelt like there was another human here! Wait, the smell was coming from Metal Human. Wolfy Fae had two scents and so did Pointy Elf. That must mean that Metal Human had a mate! Zym licked his hand in congratulations but the human just laughed. Humans must have different ways of congratulating each other. Speaker Human had put his weird shaped paw against Zym’s claws when Zym had successfully glided. Maybe that was it? He put his paw up and Metal Human tapped it with his own paw. Zym felt very knowledgeable, having figured out human ways. 

“You’re a good dragon, aren’t you? The best dragon.” Metal Human said and Zym purred. Yes, he was a good dragon. The human started scratching behind Zym’s ears and he decided that Metal Human was part of his hoard now. He was very good at scratching and Zym wanted to keep him. 

Yes, good dragons deserved good humans. He’d take this one and Speaker Human. Maybe Magic Human because he was Speaker Human’s nest mate. But he was definitely keeping Metal Human. He was shiny too which was perfect for his hoard. This had been a great day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I too would keep Soren for my hoard. Hopefully the next chap will be up sooner but I make no promises.  
> Hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment about your fave part, and as always, constructive critism is welcome, hate is not

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I don't know when the next chapter will be up as I'm new to the Archive and still not very sure how this works but I like the story so far and I'm definitely going to continue it. Until next time!


End file.
